Everyone needs some healthy fats everyday. Fat is the most concentrated source of calories that are needed to provide energy and to help absorb certain essential vitamins. Fats may be either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Hidden sources of fat include fast foods, cheeses, nuts, salad dressings, and many convenience foods. Eating a high-fat meal plan usually means an increased intake of saturated fat, which can raise "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk for heart disease...

Meats, baked goods, and full-fat dairy products are the main sources of saturated fat in most diets. Because saturated fat provides no known beneficial role in preventing chronic diseases, it’s not required at any level in the diet. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, also present in fat, reduce blood cholesterol levels and as a result reduce the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fats in the diet.

Here is where the less-than-healthy fats called trans fats can cause damage. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as those used in many margarines and shortenings, contain a particular form of unsaturated fat known as trans fatty acids. Trans fats have physical properties that generally resemble saturated fats and their presence tends to harden oils. These fats are known to increase the risk of heart disease by boosting levels of low-density lipoprotein (the "bad" cholesterol). Most cookies, crackers, dairy products, meats, and fast foods contain trans fats. Research in Consumer Reports magazine finds that, while deep-fried foods are commonly known to contain large amounts of trans fatty acids, there also are appreciable amounts of the fat in some cereals and frozen breakfast foods. Deaths from heart attacks could be reduced as a result of a government plan to change food labels to reflect the amount of trans fatty acids in processed foods, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association. Because trans fats are not essential and provide no known health benefit, LifeScript suggests that you eat as little of them as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

To avoid trans fats, check the list of ingredients in any hydrogenated oil. It’s your clue that a product contains trans fats. For products that label saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as margarines, add up these three numbers and subtract the answer from the total fat listed. The remainder is the approximate trans fat in a serving.

Until labeling improves, the American Heart Association offers these suggestions for steering clear of these heart-damaging substances:

- Use naturally occurring, unhydrogenated oils such as olive or canola oil when possible.

- Choose soft margarines -- the spreadable ones in tubs -- rather than stick margarines or butter. The best soft margarines are those that list liquid vegetable oil as a first ingredient and have no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon.

If you found these tips helpful, here's the most important advice of all: a healthy lifestyle begins with a healthy body. Don't leave your health to chance. Get your Free Personalized Vitamin Profile today to find out which vitamins are right for your lifestyle, risk factors and nutrient needs.